Reflection 3 December 9, 2009

My writing comes from my past. Most everything I write about is about my past and the things I have been through in my life. I write about this because I feel like those events have made me into the person I am today. For example, my parents divorce. That has made me grow up more than I ever imagined, emotionally and physically. Emotionally because I keep my guard up, and I have realized alot about my “fantacies” as a little girl are not all that true like the public tries to make them when it comes to boys. And physically because now I live solo, while my dad is about to get re married and my mother lives away. I have to support myself and do things for me now, as opposed to a year ago when my parents were doing alot of that.

I write when I have time, it is not my favorite thing to do but I like writing in journals. I wrote more when I was a little girl in my diaries about what was going on with me. It was kind of like an imaginary friend there to talk about everything that was going on in a mind of a young girl/teenager. It is nice to get my feelings out on paper and not have to worry about what others think about it.

Reflection 2 November 14, 2009

I work very well with my grandfather, Glen. From the day I was born, he has been right by my side. We did most everything together, even though we lived three hours away. Everytime I would go see him, we would spend time with each other on his farm by planting crops, feeding cows, or cutting grass. We work well together because we understand eachother, and there is a lot of love between us too. We help one another to strive in what we want to acheive and he is beside me every step of the way. When one of us feel down, we’re always there to talk and make one another feel good. I would not know what to do without him, he has made me who I am today!

Weblog 4 October 26, 2009

In God vs. Science, the question is about whether Darwinian evolution withstands the criticisms of Christians who believe that it contradicts the creation account in the Book of Genesis. Many authors and their views are used in this excerpt but two gentlemen in particular have a sit down debate with TIME. Dr. Francis Collins who is a forthright Christian who converted from atheism at age 27 and the other is Professor Dawkins. These two men have different views on this topic and they make it well known in their interview.

 

Collins is asked the question of whether or not the thinks science is compatible with Christian faith.  He replies, “Yes. God’s existence is either true or not. But calling it a scientific question implies that the tools of science can provide the answer. From my perspective, God cannot be completely contained within nature, and therefore God’s existence is outside of science’s ability to really weigh in (God vs. Science).

 

Then, Professor Dawkins is asked a similar question, does Darwin’s theory of evolution (science) contradict the Genesis story (God). Yes. For centuries the most powerful argument for God’s existence from the physical world was the so-called argument from design: Living things are so beautiful and elegant and so apparently purposeful, they could only have been made by an intelligent designer. But Darwin provided a simpler explanation. His way is a gradual, incremental improvement starting from very simple beginnings and working up step by tiny incremental step to more complexity, more elegance, more adaptive perfection (God vs. Science).

 

These two men have similar but different perspectives of God and Science. Each of them is not ever able to agree completely about whether if they are completely compatible. A lot of scientists agree that there is a God or something higher than anyone can explain. No one can explain miracles or how something happened like how the world was created and how long it has been in existence. They explain that the Bible is not a scientific textbook but it is how He created the world.

 

The tone is their voices were very argumentative because they have different opinions but were able to agree and have a calmer, nice tone of voice when they did agree on something.

Weblog 3 October 19, 2009

After reading The Singer Solution to World Poverty by Peter Singer, I picked up that the claim of his argument was any individual who can, should give all their extra money to organizations over seas to homeless children. This would be such a good idea, but people in this day and time are so self-absorbed with buying their own luxuries that they do not think about giving to others. Then Greg Schaefer writes in Singer’s not-so Persuasive Solution to World Poverty that he agrees with Singer but disagrees that we should send our entire extra saved up money over seas.

Singer uses several examples to support his claim such as a lady named Dora who is told she could pocket $1,000 if she took a 9 year old boy to a certain address and he would be adopted. Only to find out after getting there that the boy is too old to be adopted. She then takes the boy back with her instead of taking the money. Singer then makes another example about a man named Bob and his pride and joy automobile. A train would hit either the child or if Bob wanted to he could save the child and have the train hit his car. He chooses to save his car and let the child get hit by the train. Singer makes these two arguments and the proceeds to say that Americans do not think about helping homeless and sick kids overseas because we do not actually have to see these kids. Unlike Dora who saved a child because she saw him. He says that it is easier to disregard this subject if you have never seen the poverty and dying children as opposed to actually seeing it, then walking away or forgetting about it becomes harder.

Schaefer thinks that Singer is asking a little too much.  At first Singer says that donating $200 would be ideal but then he starts saying that we should donate every little bit of our savings. He uses examples when he talks about buying luxurious cars or just going to a fancy dinner and to stop and think how much money you would save if you did not do that. Basically, he asks to put your life on hold and give all your hard earned money to people overseas. It angers Schaefer to the point where he does not even want to donate money anymore.

In Singer’s argument he starts off very convincing that we should donate money but then he starts to become a bit pushy when saying we should donate all of our savings. Not everyone can donate money and there are people in the US that are just as poor as some overseas. He assumes that he is talking to all wealthy people, which is not the case at all. Schaefer is much more understanding and uses a powerful tone when sticking up for him and other saying that we should not have to donate our savings that we earned ourselves by working hard. He agrees that we should donate money if we can but it is not a life or death situation on our part.

Reflection 1 October 9, 2009

Reflection 1

 

From the start of one sentence to a long ten page paper, I have been writing since I was a little girl. It has progressively gotten better over the years, but still has never been the best. My mind wants to say so much at one time but my hand can not go that fast, therefore I forget what or how I wanted to say that particular sentence or paragraph.

 

I have noticed over the years that I have overcome this obstacle by making thinking webs that consist of one idea and branch off into many other supporting details. It helps me to remember everything that I wanted to say in my paper. I have also seen that my spelling and punctuation have gotten much better where I use the correct symbols in their right places and the correct spellings and usages of words. Especially with the words “their” and “there” and “to” and “too”.

 

It is always hard for me to form a paper and put it together. I try and make sense out of what I am saying, but sometimes that just does not happen. I Have learned a lot from my high school senior teacher and he taught us exactly how to form paragraphs. I try to write down notes of my writing and focus on only one thing in each paragraph. As well as finding supporting details, statistics, or events to back up my thesis.

 

I also think that my writing has been broader because I am growing up and have been through a lot, especially in the past 4 years. I have more experiences to look back on and write about. It is easier for me to write about reflections in my own life and I do tend to write mostly about those. I love telling people about my life and what I am all about.

Weblog 2 September 16, 2009

• Kanye West interupting Taylor Swift at the VMA’s…hilarious, stupid and rude.
• Obama proceeding to call Kanye West a Jackass because of it. I am not into politics but it is one of the few things I agree with Obama on.
• Yale student being murdered. Wishing this world wasn’t so sick and violent.
• My grandfather’s dissappearance. This happened a long time ago but I think about it almost everyday.
• My trip to Aruba. Preparing for it!
• My work schedule taking a toll on me.
• Relationships. Family, friends, boyfriend.
• My father’s wedding.
• My bathing suit addiction. It is becoming scary, literally.
• a dear familily friend’s death.

Even though March 12th, 2005 was over 4 years ago, I still will never forget one of the most intelligent and skilled man I have ever known. That day we lost a loved one very dear to us. His name is David Wilhelm and he was murdered. I think about this all the time because you never know when it is your time to go.

David was an agent in the law enforecement with my father. They became really good friends and because of that our family became close as well. Spending every weekend together grilling steaks or seafood and having bon-fires when the seasons changed. It was awful when he announced he was moving to Atlanta, GA but he was offered a promotion so it was for the better.

While living in an apartment, David was building him and his wife Candee a house in Georgia so they could move in and start their newer life together. They had heard about a prisoner escaping while heading to his hearing for rape and later proceeding to kill the Judge, Court room reporter, and police officer but they never thought that it would be an issue for them. So that evening they went to the unfinished home and began working on it. Candee left around 11pm and David was shortly behind her. As David was packing up to go home he was hit from behind across his head with a gun. Now, no one will really ever know what exactly happened that night but there was said to be a struggle between the two and Brian Nichols (the accused rapist and prisoner) shot David right through his stomach.

Because David was an agent for the government he carried his own gun and that was the gun he was shot with. Nichols then took all David had and left.

This haunts me almost everyday. Why did it have to happen to David? He was such a good person, why do bad things happen to good people? I have thought about this question for a while now and have come up with many answers. It all depends on how you look at it. In a religous view, I believe that we should look at it as bad things happening to good people but rather it just being a persons time to leave this earth and spend internal life in heaven, where things are said to be much happier. Also, why are there people out there that want to kill people? Why do they think it is okay to do that? What is their drive and can they help it?  David left so many people behind, it affeted not only me but the whole nation, government, family members and friends. But it is our job now to keep those memories of David and tell people how great of a person he was. This act of violence was also such an eye opener for many people, including me because it allwed me to see the violent world we have and to always be aware of your surroundings. In the end, Nichols went to prison and got life with no parole. This was not what anyone wanted (except the jury of course) . He was up against the death penalty, which he never got. This is really  upsetting to be because I feel he shsould have gotten this. I think because he killed inocent people then he deserves to be treated the same.

Someone on the opposing side might disagree with me and say that no one should get the death penalty. Ok, yes I do think it may be a little worse to spend your entire life in jail as opposed to getting it over with real quickly with an injection. But when a family memer is murdered, you would want the murderer to be killed him/herself  to ensure there is no chance for parole. 

 I could go on and on about this but it would never end, but this was on national news and Larry King even did a whole episode on it, so you can google “Atlanta Man Hunt March 12″ and you can read all about it.

About Me September 16, 2009

Hello,

My name is Lauren Royster and currently I live in Suffolk. I am a student at TCC’s Portsmouth Campus and here I plan to do my pre reqs for less money and then enter Nursing School.

I started at TCC last semester after I transferred from East Carolina University. It was the best school ever but I left becuase my parents were going through a divorce and 30K a year was way to much to be sending two kids (my brother attends ECU as well, he is 10 and a half month older than I). So while he stayed, I left.

I am 19 years old and NO children. I live with my father in Harbor View and my mother lives right down the street. I will soon be living by myself for the first time because my father is getting married this november (supposedly!)

I work four jobs  (crazy? yes I know) but I LOVE it! I work at a gym called Premier Fitness, I am a sales associate at Massage Envy, A receptionist at a real estate office on the weekends, and only during summers  I am the director of a summer camp for small children. I go non-stop all the time.

I love traveling also. This past May I went to Bermuda with my mother and some girlfriends. We had an awesome time, it is a beautiful island. I also just booked yesterday a trip to Aruba with my boyfriend for December. I eventually want to visit Australia and most of all, Ireland.

Well I think that is enough about me (if your still reading!). I look forward to a nice and easy semester hopefully!

Weblog 1 September 11, 2009

I believe that people…. are always in a rush these days and do not stop to think about what really matters most in life. They care too much about themselves and forget about everyone else.

I believe that society…. is crazy. There are so many different types of problems in society that causes chaos and many problems. The main cause of chaos is the media. I know this becuase I have been to some pretty uncommercialized countries and they are so peaceful there.  Here in the USA it is rediculous how bad the media controls us.

I believe that government…. is ridiculous. I am not into politics and think that most of the government and its rules are ridiculous. They tell us so many different plans and promises that are never met or kept. Though, if I went any further about politics it would never end!

I believe that justice…. should be met for everyone who has been victimized, but it never happens that way. Which I guess comes back to the problem of society being chaotic. People do not care about making things right unless the problem invloves them.

I believe that knowledge…. is the best characteristic to have in a person. Knowledge will get you anywhere you want in life, as long as you know and believe.

I believe that science…. is an amazing thing. Science lets miracles happen and allows us to be healthy while curing diseases at the same time.

I believe that reality…. is crucial. Some people need a reality check. Maybe that is the problem with our chaotic society?

I believe that life…. is very short. Never hold grudges, love everyone, and keep your family close.

I believe that happiness…. is very rare these days. There are so many people who are unhappy whether is be from finances or love.

I believe that goodness…. is a blessing and very rare in a person. Though, sometimes you will run into a person with goodness that wants more for others than they do for themselves.

I believe that death…. is a scary thing. Yet, I’m not sure if growing old or dying young is worse?

I believe that God…. has a plan for all of us. As long as everyone just believes.

Happiness is not something that comes across very often these days. In fact, I’m not sure that there is such a thing. I started believing this because of my parents divorce. The divorce happened when I was 15 years old, the time a girl is trying to find herself in life. Growing up all I dreamed of was finding the love of my life, having him get on one knee and proposing, getting married and having a large family. That is what would make me so happy. Talk about reality check. I then started to question was there such thing as happiness? I always thought my parents were happy with each other, so what happened? If they weren’t happy with each other, then how was I going to be happy with “the love of my life”?  I quickly learned that there is no such thing as “the love of my life” (at least not for now). Now a days it is so hard to trust people, and you would be stupid to think that you could. I also learned that everything I dreamed of as a little girl is the total opposite. I know my proposal won’t  be in the middle of a baseball field during a MLB game with thousands of people around watching nor will I have a large family. It is so sad to think this way, but this just shows how one event in your life can change the rest of it for ever.

 

So if someone else was reading this blog I’m sure they are saying, wow this person is really depressed, or she needs to go to counseling, she can’t feel this way the rest of her life. I totally understand this. I hate that I feel this way, it isn’t good and I wish I felt differently but after going through was I did, it is very hard to.

Maybe if you disagree with me you can think of a past relationship that you have been in and how that ended up. Maybe you too have been through the same situation as I have. Everyone is different and no one thinks the same about a situation. So of course even if you have been through this situation you may not agree with me. I took this divorce hard but not until after I got the reality check afterwards. I am learning now that it may not be as bad as it seems but the process is slow. Especially being a girl, I have my guard up when it comes to making decisions dealing with my future as will I always.